“All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.” (2 Corinthians 5:18-20 NIV84)

Reconciliation is an often repeated idea in the Scriptures and among Christians, but it is a much less repeated practice. We tend to know what reconciliation means but not how to put it into practice in our everyday lives. Even Christians are known for their harsh judgments of others and the grudges they hold against one another. We can’t seem to get over the human weakness we all bear (sin). Just look around! When was the last time you saw a marriage reconciled rather than end in divorce? When was the last time you saw close friends figure out how to keep their relationship rather than lose it? It seems that more often than not we find ourselves on the wrong side of the reconciliation process. What’s going on?

It is important to understand that reconciliation is first and foremost a spiritual matter. It is not something that someone decides to do. It is something that spiritually takes place. We have been reconciled with God because He made Jesus bear everything that separates us from Him. Our sin no longer exists in God’s eyes because of what Jesus did on our behalf. Our sins can’t be counted against us, because they have been counted against Jesus. So, if that is how reconciliation occurs between us and God, then it must be similar when it is between two of us. Reconciliation begins with understanding our own reconciliation. If God doesn’t hold my sins against me because of the saving work of Jesus, then who am I to hold your sins against you or vice versa? We become ambassadors of the message of reconciliation as we share the message of God’s reconciliation with others and live out a life of reconciliation with those God has placed in our lives.

May we always live in a reconciled state with God and the people we live in relationship with.

Peace!

Pastor Tom

www.firmlyrooted.church